Land-roller.



W. J. DUNHAM.

LAND ROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

a ga.

' B We fifforzeym WILEY J. DUNHAM, OF BEREA, OHIO.

LAND-ROLLER.

Application filed Ha es, 1909.; Serial a..,as,2a,; j

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, WILEY J. DUNHAM, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Berea, 1n the county of 'Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain" new and useful Improvements in Land-- Rollers; and Ihereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description o -f the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in land-rollersi Une object of this invention is to provide a roller which will be durable, which can be easily operated and which will have means for counterbalancing the handle so that the handle will assume a vertical position when not in useand therefore the roller can be stored in asmall space.

A further-object of my invention is to provide a construction wherein the mount ings for the handle, and the counter-balancing devices will be arranged within the roller cylinder thereby enabling the roller to be operated close to obstructions such as fences or trees, without danger of the mounting for the handle coming in contact therewith.

My invention, therefore, consists in the features of construction and combination of parts as described in the specification, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved roller. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a section on line 33, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a section on line 44, Fig. 3.

Again referring to the drawings, 1 represents the roller proper which, as shown, consists of a single cylindricalmember, but may be built up in the usual manner of a numberof cylindrical sections, if desired. Within the roller at a short distance from each end is arranged a head 2 so that there is a recess or space 3 at each end of the roller outside of the head.' A shaft 5 is rigidly sup ported centrally in the heads 2 and projects a short distance beyond each head and forms the axle of the roller.

At the-ends of the roller, in the recesses 3 outside of the heads 2, areiarranged sectorshaped plates 7. In each plate 7 a short distance below the narrow end thereof is fen-nod a circular nnenino' 9 for the end of the axle which isgreaterin diameter than the axle and in the said opening 9 around the end of the axleare arranged a series of roller bearings 12% Washers 13 are secured on the ends of the axle 5..outside of the The handle 15 is forked in the usual man ner so as to straddle the roller and the 'forked ends thereof are secured to the narrower ends of the plates 7 by means of bolts 16. The plates 7 are weighted at their widest ends sufficiently to counterbalance the weight of the handle and the handle is therefore held in an approximately vertical position. When the roller is in use the han dle can not fall on the ground and when the roller is not in use, as the handle is normally held in a vertical position, the roller canbe stored in a comparatively small space.

The provision of the plates 7 with the roller bearings greatly facilitates the operating of the roller while the arrangement of the said plates outside of the heads of the roller, but within the recesses at the ends thereof, renders them readily accessible while they offer no impediment tov the operation of the roller.

What I claim is,- 1 1. In a device of the character indicated,

a roller having heads arranged at the ends and a distance in from the ends so as to leave recesses at the ends of the roller outside of said heads, an axle mounted centrally in saidheads and extending beyondsaid heads, plates mounted on the ends of said axle within said recesses and a handle secured to said plates.

2. In a device of the character indicated, a roller having heads arranged at the ends and a distance in from. the ends so as to leave recesses at the ends of the roller out-' side of the heads, plates arranged in said recesses and provided with circular openings for receiving the ends of the axle, sa d openings being larger in diameter than the said axle, roller bearings arranged in said openings around the ends of said axle, Washers arranged on the ends of said axle outside of said plates so as to hold said roller bearings against displacement and a handle secured to said plates.

4;. In a device of the character indicated, a roller having heads arranged at the ends and a distance in from the ends so as to leave recesses at the ends of the roller outside of said heads, plates arranged in said recesses and pnovided with circular openings for receiving the ends of the axle, said openings being larger in diameter than the said axle, roller bearings arranged-in said openings around the ends of the axle, wash- I ers secured on said axle outside of said plates so as to hold said roller bearings against displacement and a handle secured to said plates at a point such that the said plates will coul'lterbalance the said handle,' substantially as'described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I sign the foregoing specification, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILEY J. DU NIL-\M.

litnesscs (J. A. Enmmn, V A M mau'r'r. 

